Chennai : Police detained a host of film personalities and activists of fringe groups and political parties for protesting outside the Chepauk stadium hosting the IPL match between CSK and KKR on Tuesday evening.

But not before the protesters tried to break the cordon and surge towards the stadium with an intent to disrupt the game as they wanted the IPL not to be held. This paved the way for holding of the first IPL match in two years when CSK took on KKR in the floodlit stadium.

The protesters were angry over the plight of the farmers of Tamil Nadu and the centre for not setting up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) which would have ensured adequate river water to Cauvery delta that is now under severe drought like conditions.

The protesters, belonging to little known Tamizhar Vazhvu Urimai Katchi, Viduthuthalai Chirutaigal Katchi, Naam Tamizhar Katchi and other smaller groups got together on roads leading to the stadium and tried to prevent traffic from moving.

The two team buses carrying the cricketers were escorted into the stadium by police vehicles even as the crowd was shouting slogans against central government and EPS OPS government.

After 6.30, the police began taking protestors into custody and in no time the film personalities were bundled into waiting vans and driven away. Those detained included director Gautaman, Bharathiraja, Seeman, lyricist Vairamuthu and others.

“We have seen the enemies of Tamil Nadu sitting in government. We will not vote them again,” said farmers leader PR Pandian referring to EPS and OPS.